as in corrupting
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
by insisting that she pay me for helping her, she subverted my noble desire to do a good deed without reward
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Recent Examples of subverting
The inaugural season was about subverting expectations.
—
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
In the Placer County foothills, one winery is subverting expectations and offering wine tasting experiences at a staggeringly low cost.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Buddy embraces the aesthetic of classic children’s television —complete with catchy songs and familiar tropes — before subverting it with a relentless descent into madness.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Hoja has been subverting confident authorities for at least seven centuries, while refusing to be pinned down, even as a hero.
—Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
But artists are often great at subverting expectations, and the Renaissance Society, a beloved arts venue at the University of Chicago known for its brainy exhibitions, has for several years now invited artists to direct its annual benefit, known around town as the RenBen.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
This implied the Blackness of God, subverting cultural representations of the deity as white and possibly European.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Instead, these public dollars went to a DeSantis political fund aimed at subverting ballot measures to legalize private use of marijuana and constitutionalize women’s ability to access reproductive health care.
—Howard L. Simon, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
While fashion has a long history of subverting religious motifs, Spradlin said the colors reflect a shift to sincerity, adding that Gen Z and millennials are outpacing older cohorts in church attendance.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2026
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
In the Placer County foothills, one winery is subverting expectations and offering wine tasting experiences at a staggeringly low cost.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Buddy embraces the aesthetic of classic children’s television —complete with catchy songs and familiar tropes — before subverting it with a relentless descent into madness.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Hoja has been subverting confident authorities for at least seven centuries, while refusing to be pinned down, even as a hero.
—Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
But artists are often great at subverting expectations, and the Renaissance Society, a beloved arts venue at the University of Chicago known for its brainy exhibitions, has for several years now invited artists to direct its annual benefit, known around town as the RenBen.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
This implied the Blackness of God, subverting cultural representations of the deity as white and possibly European.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Instead, these public dollars went to a DeSantis political fund aimed at subverting ballot measures to legalize private use of marijuana and constitutionalize women’s ability to access reproductive health care.
—Howard L. Simon, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
While fashion has a long history of subverting religious motifs, Spradlin said the colors reflect a shift to sincerity, adding that Gen Z and millennials are outpacing older cohorts in church attendance.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subverting
Verb
-
An early discussion about social contracts comes down to us in Plato’s dialogue Crito in which Socrates, condemned to death for allegedly corrupting the youth, refused an offer to escape from prison.—
George G. Szpiro,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff Office investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is facing troubles of its own, as a former sheriff has accused current leadership of ‘corrupting’ the crime scene, and a deputy has been arrested and fired on a kidnapping charge.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These materials incorporate activatable, plastic-degrading microbes alongside the polymers.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
Some mineral sunscreen manufacturers add UV filters such as butyloctyl salicylic acid and ethylhexyl methoxycrylene to prevent SPF levels from degrading in zinc oxide, which Downs has linked to potential cancer risks and coral toxicity.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
No ‘victory image’ for Tehran Ruhe similarly argued that Israel wants to avoid any agreement that restores legitimacy to the Iranian regime without fundamentally weakening it.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
-
Forecasters say geomagnetic activity is gradually weakening, but lingering disturbances in Earth's magnetic field could still spark visible displays overnight, particularly in northern regions.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
He was also found guilty of perverting the court of justice.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The brand, which was based on changing the status quo and perverting common ideas, was a success and Babenzien learned how to build a business.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the team's binary merger model, the compact object is close enough to its stellar companion to rip off its outer hydrogen layer without completely destroying the star.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
The fires hit close to home, destroying both Pratt’s Pacific Palisades residence and his parents’ home.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Deter bees from soaking up the nectar by diluting the blend, mixing it with more water than sugar.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
15 Apr. 2026
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What’s more, the suit alleges that management and company affiliates enriched themselves — through operating fees, development fees, property-management and leasing fees, reimbursements and insider-favoring transactions — while diluting investor equity.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The poll also points to broader economic malaise; 55% of Americans say recent price increases have led to financial hardship, and the same number say their financial situation is deteriorating.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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In all cases, companies are reporting a surge in oil trading activity, tempered somewhat by the deteriorating outlook for natural gas production, stemming from Iranian air strikes severely damaging crucial gas production sites in the Gulf.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subverting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subverting. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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